Teach your child to drive

Should parents teach their children to drive?
Sometimes it takes a lot of practice driving lessons before a learner is ready to take their test and pass. If you’re paying for your child’s driving lessons, one way to reduce the cost and cut down the number of lessons required is to take them out for practice sessions yourself.

Although driving may seem like second-nature to you, it is a very complex task to master. Not only do you have to contend with managing the vehicle but you also have to deal with other road users at the same time. Equally, unless you’re a qualified instructor, teaching someone to drive is a real challenge – one that can rock the steadiest of relationships – and is a decision not to be taken lightly.

Some temperaments and personalities are better suited to teaching friends and relatives to drive than others. Are you patient and calm and not overly critical? Will he or she listen to you or are they stubborn and hot-headed? If in doubt, leave it to the professionals. A heated argument in a car with a novice or inexperienced driver at the wheel could prove to be dangerous. However, if you feel confident that you have what it takes to take your offspring out on to the road, read on:

Pre-lesson checks
Start by ensuring that you and your learner are covered – ask your car insurer if you can add a young, named learner driver to your policy. The vehicle you’re using should be in a roadworthy, well-maintained state, with good brakes and no mechanical problems (such as a faulty clutch or worn brake pads).

In order to lead by example, re-familiarise yourself with the Highway Code and the correct way of driving – if the learner adopts your bad habits they may fail the driving test. In a test, oft-neglected tasks such as ‘mirror, signal, manoeuvre’ must be seen to be employed all the way through a drive, irrespective of whether there are other vehicles on the road. If the driving instructor and your child are willing, you could observe one of their lessons by being a passenger in the car. This way you can get an idea of their level of competence and pick up some tips on how to deal with tricky situations, should they arise on one of your practice sessions.

Make it a positive experience
There is no such thing as a bad pupil, only a bad teacher! Put yourself in the learner driver’s shoes and try to remember how it felt when you first started driving. It is a frightening time. Comments such as ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ and shouting orders like ‘Slow down – now!’ will make them more nervous, be detrimental to their driving and create a bad atmosphere in the car. Equally, don’t waste valuable lesson time discussing other issues that are bothering you, as this will distract you both – leave them outside the car.

To make your child feel more comfortable, start the lesson by telling them where you will be going and the manoeuvres and skills you will be practising. This will make them feel more prepared for what’s to come, whether it is parallel parking or dual carriageway driving. While they are driving, gently comment on the road ahead and the sorts of hazards they ought to be anticipating and remember to praise and encourage them by highlighting what they are doing right as well as areas they need to improve on. Find out what the legal requirements are for learner drivers and riders at www.direct.gov.uk.

If you are a Privilege car insurance policyholder, call us to find out how to get a learner driver added to your policy as a named driver.

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